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French Lick board: park near ready but members press for signs, rules and enforcement
Summary
Board members said the new town park is mostly finished but agreed they need permanent signage, clear rules and an ordinance before they can enforce penalties; they also asked staff to source temporary weatherproof signs and bids for a small tractor to maintain trails.
The French Lick Town Board heard that the newly built park is nearly ready for public use but needs permanent signage, formal rules and a contractor sign‑off before it can be opened for regular operations.
At the meeting, the chair introduced Jason to report on the site walk-through. Jason said the construction punch list was nearly complete and that the drain and restrooms appear finished, but the park still needs professionally made signs and one trash receptacle replaced near the basketball court. "We're almost done — that's a punch list; I hope we just need some signage so we can open it," Jason said.
Why it matters: board members said they cannot lawfully enforce park rules without clear posted notice and an ordinance, so posting signs is a prerequisite to prosecuting vandalism or enforcing rules such as prohibiting camping and pets. Members discussed temporary, weatherproof signs in the short term and installing five permanent signs around the park once made available.
Board members pressed staff on enforcement and operations. Members said cameras are in place and that police should be informed about closed‑hours access. The board discussed adding a supervision rule for young children — suggesting parental supervision for children under age 12 — and restricting overnight parking. Several members recommended a simple temporary sign (laminated or mounted boards) while waiting for customized, permanent signage.
The board also discussed near‑term maintenance needs: a request was made to get bids for a subcompact tractor (described in discussion as a small utility tractor with a grading blade) to maintain and grade trails; an offhand estimate in the discussion cited a typical new unit around $27,000, which members asked staff to confirm with firm quotes.
What comes next: staff will follow up with the contractor to confirm punch‑list completion and timing for final sign‑off, order temporary signs if permanent ones will be delayed more than a week or two, and obtain quotes for the tractor. The board agreed to return to the subject if open items remain at the next meeting.
The meeting moved on after the park update.
